24 Facts About Caicos Passage

1.

Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and northern West Indies.

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2.

Around 1200, the Turks and Caicos Passage Islands were resettled by Classical Tainos from Hispaniola.

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3.

In 1917, Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden suggested that the Turks and Caicos Passage join Canada, but this suggestion was rejected by British Prime Minister David Lloyd George and the islands remained a dependency of Jamaica.

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4.

In 2010 the leaders of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Passage Islands discussed the possibility of forming a federation.

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5.

Caicos Passage was replaced by Washington Misick after the Progressive National Party won the 2021 general elections.

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6.

The nearest foreign landmass from the Turks and Caicos Passage Islands is the Bahamian island of Little Inagua, about 30 miles from West Caicos Passage.

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7.

Turks and Caicos Passage contains three terrestrial ecoregions: Bahamian dry forests, Bahamian pineyards, and Bahamian-Antillean mangroves.

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8.

Largest island in the Caicos Passage archipelago is the sparsely-inhabited Middle Caicos Passage, which measures 144 square kilometres in area, but has a population of only 168 at the 2012 Census.

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9.

East Caicos Passage is uninhabited, while the only permanent inhabitants of West Caicos Passage are resort staff.

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10.

Turks and Caicos Passage Islands participate in the Caribbean Development Bank, is an associate in CARICOM, a member of the Universal Postal Union and maintains an Interpol sub-bureau.

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11.

Turks and Caicos Passage Islands are divided into six administrative districts, headed by district commissioners.

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12.

Defence of the Turks and Caicos Passage Islands is the responsibility of the United Kingdom.

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13.

Governor Nigel Dakin announced in early December 2019 that the Turks and Caicos Passage will build its own defence regiment, the Turks and Caicos Passage Islands Regiment, with the assistance of the UK's Ministry of Defence and it is to be similar to the Bermuda Regiment and the Cayman Regiment.

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14.

In spring 2020, a Security and Assistance Team from the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence arrived in Turks and Caicos Passage to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, and to help build the new Turks and Caicos Passage Regiment.

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15.

Catholics are served by the Mission Sui Iuris for Turks and Caicos Passage, which was erected in 1984 with territory taken from the then Diocese of Nassau.

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16.

Turks and Caicos Passage Islands are perhaps best known musically for ripsaw music, a genre which originated on the islands.

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17.

The Turks and Caicos Passage Islands are known for their annual Music and Cultural Festival showcasing many local talents and other dynamic performances by many music celebrities from around the Caribbean and United States.

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18.

Turks and Caicos Passage cuisine is based primarily around seafood, especially conch.

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19.

Turks and Caicos Passage is a British Overseas Territory and not an independent country, its nationality laws are partly determined by British nationality law and its history.

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20.

Turks and Caicos Passage worked to refurbish its primary schools, reduce textbook costs, and increase equipment and supplies given to schools.

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21.

Turks and Caicos Passage established a National Health Insurance Plan in 2010.

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22.

Economy of Turks and Caicos Passage is dominated by tourism, offshore finance and fishing.

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23.

Turks and Caicos Passage Islands has one of the longest coral reefs in the world and the world's only conch farm.

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24.

Territory is not recognised by the International Olympic Committee, Turks and Caicos Passage Islanders compete for Great Britain at the Olympic Games.

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